Jiuhua Mountain

Jiuhua Mountain¡¯s original name is Jiuzishan. The great poet Li Bai praised its lotus blooms-like peaks of Mt. Jiuhua Mountain scenery the verse of ¡°the intelligential pea open Jiuhua Mountain ", hence the name. Mt. Jiuhua, Mt. Emeishan, Mt. Wutaishan and Mt. Putuoshan became four great Buddhist Mountains in China. It has "lotus flower Buddhist country" reputation. It has already opened five big scenic areas such as Shanqian, Jiuhua Street, MinYuan Garden, Tantaii and the flower platform. The circle path is 30 kilometers and the scenic spot total area is about 120 square kilometers. There are 94 extant temples, with almost 700 Buddhist monks and nuns.
The Jiuhua Buddhism history is glorious. It spreads into china in Jin Dynasty and was popular for a period in Tang Dynasty. Famous monk Jin Qiaojue practiced Buddhism here during the Tang rein Kaiyuan and the Xinluo Country (now known as North Korea). Jin Qiaojue was respected as the Earth Buddha by the locals; hence Mt. Jiuhua became the place where religious rituals were held to worship the God of Earth.
Jiuhua Mountain is famous with the reputation of "incense and candle is the best in the world" and "First mountain of Southeast¡±. The Buddhism believers worship the Holy Land.
Jiuhua Mountain¡ s scenery is very famous; the old record says "Jiuhua ten sceneries": Tiantai dawn , Huacheng night clock, sitting on the east cliff, high pole with immortal trace, peach crag waterfall, lotus peak cloud sea, flat hillock with snow, Shutan against moon, Jiusishan springs sound and five brooks mountain color. In addition, there is the Longchi Waterfall, MinYuan garden and bamboos, the manna is attractive, skyscraper palace, the gathering of beautiful flowers, the lion peak forest, the clear ditch, fish and dragon cave, phoenix ancient pine and so on. 
 

 The Shiwang Mountain, the main peak, is 1342 meters above sea level. Mount Jiuhua is full of waterfalls, streams, exotic-looking boulders, ancient caves, old pines and exuberant bamboo. With the richly variegated landscape, the ancient temples are tucked away amid the dense woods, and the air reverberates with the tolling of the bells at dawn and dusk. With 99 peaks, 16 ridges, 14 overhanging cliffs, 18 gurgling spring, many caves, deep pools rare stones, and waterfalls, the mountain has attracted since ancient times numerous men of letters, who have written poems and articles praising its Southeast China, only the Jiuhua Mountain incorporates both grandeur and wonder. "on poem reads. The mountain is thus famed as the "No.1 Mountain in Southeast China".

The great variety of the beauty of Mount Jiuhua ranges from the hair-raising to the gracefully tranquil. And the scenery keeps varying with the seasonal changes. For instance, the Sea of Bamboo at Minyuan covers 1000 acres (mu), and when the wind blows, the bamboo leaves sibilate with an ear-pleasing cadence while the streams are gurgling and the springs gushing in the background. Standing by a mountain path that threads its way through the Sea of Bamboo is the renowned Phoenix Pine, the so-called "Number One Pine in the Land Under Heaven", which was planted during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, around 1,400 years ago. The tree's verdant foliage, together with its flat, scaly twin trunks form what looks like a green phoenix craning it's neck and flying towards the Heavenly Terrace.

Popular for its spectacular peaks and perilous cliffs, Jiuhuashan is endowed with myriad of springs, streams, waterfalls, grotesque rocks and ancient caves. Covered with luxuriantly green pines and bamboo groves, and gleaming with crystal-clear waters, it offers enchanting scenery. It's also famous for the grand scale of temples and nunneries, which are unique in style and magnificent in architecture. At present, still exist 79 well-preserved temples, over 1500 Buddha statues and more than 1300 pieces of cultural relics like Buddhist scriptures, musical instruments etc. Huacheng Temple lies in mid Jiuhuashan, it's enclosed by the mountains, with Furong Peak to the south, Shenguang Ridge to the west, White Clouds Mountain to the north, and cliffs to the east. The Temple, consisting of four rows of houses, was built on the mountainside.
Mount Jiuhua was originally known as Jiuzi (Nine-Peak) Mountain. But ever since Li Bai, the celebrated poet in the Tang Dynasty wrote of the mountain: "Sailing down the Jiujiang River the other day, I saw the Jiuhua Peaks in the distance. Looking like a heavenly river hanging in heaven, Its green water embroidering cottonrose hibiscuses.", the mountain was renamed as Mount Jiuhua.The 10 major sights of Jiuhua are as follows: 1. The mountain scenery by the Five Streams 2. The waterfall at Taoyan 3. The moon mirrored in the Shutan Pool 4. The serene form of the East Cliff 5. The snow mantle over the Flat Terrace 6. Evening Bell Tolls at Huacheng 7. The Sea of Clouds around the Lotus Peak 8.The Singing Stream at Jiuzi 9. Cellestial Presence at the Heavenly Pillar 10. Sunrise at the Heavenly Terrace.

At the foot of the mountain is the vast expansion of fields. Ancient cypresses cover the mountains and hills with various shapes of peaks, and waterfalls and springs. In the early 5th century, Buddhism was introduced there. During the reign of Emperor Kaiyuan of the Tang Dynasty, Jin Qiaojue from South Korea came to China and stayed for 70 years. He died in 794 m Mt. Jiuhua.

There are more than 80 temples, big or small, in the mountain, of which nine are major temples under state protection. Every year, on the 30th day of the seventh month on lunar calendar, grand temple fairs are held, and last for several days.

Visitors to the temples on Mt. Jiuhua are always impressed with the exquisite architecture and grand structure. Now there are no more than 90 temples in existence in Mt. Jiuhua, most of them restored in Ming and Qing Dynasties. Among the most well known are the Incarnation Hall, Huacheng Temple, Zhiyuan Temple, Longevity Hall, Zhantanlin Temple, Ganlu Temple and Tiantai Zhending Temple.

Huacheng Temple is the oldest and holiest temple on the mountain. It is located in the center of Jiuhua Street. Though it first appears simple and solemn, the structure and decoration of the building are truly artistic. The engravings on lintels, brackets and roofs reinforce the brightness and liveliness of the building. The picture, 'Nine Dragons Playing with Pearls' on a panel in the Main Shrine Hall is a consummate piece of ancient Chinese art.

Precious sutras and other cultural relics in the temples are displayed in the Historical Relics Museum of the Jiuhua Mountain. The most valuable are the Buddhist canonical literature left from the Tang Dynasty, the Tripitaka left from the Ming Dynasty, and Emperor Kang Xi and Emperor Qian Long's handwritings left from the Qing Dynasty.

Mount Jiuhua consists of ninety-nine peaks, among the most magnificent being Heavenly Terrace (Tiantai), Lotus Flower (Lianhua), Sky Pillar (Tianzhu), and Ten Kings (Shiwang).

The area around the mountain is secluded -- a quiet landscape of streams, cascades, crags, caves, pines, and bamboos. Tang Dynasty and culminated in the Ming and Qing dynasties, when with over three hundred temples and monasteries enveloped in coiling incense smoke, Mount Jiuhua became known as the "land of Buddhas and incense." At present 78 temples remain, including Huacheng, Flawless Monk, Hujiu, and Baisui temples, which house thousands of statues and relics such as Buddhist sutras and jade seals.

The skeleton of Monk Wu Xia of the Ming Dynasty in a sitting position is well-preserved on the mountain. The monk lived in a cave and subsisted on wild fruits and spring water until his death at the age of 126.

Transportation:

Jiu Hua Shan is here in Anhui Province, three hours from Wuhu by bus